Former Indian cricketer backs Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and says he deserves more chances for IndiaScroll down to read the full story
Published: October 11, 2026, 9:44 PM IST
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Star Indian player hails Vaibhav Sooryavanshi
Former India opener Virender Sehwag sees a lot of his own batting style in young player Vaibhav SooryavanshiHe also advised the 15-year-old to focus on building a long career for India.
Sehwag has scored 17,253 runs in international cricket, while Sooryavanshi has made 246 runs in eight T20I matchesThe young batter has impressed with his attacking style, scoring at a strike rate of 186.
“Sooryavanshi is in his prime, and his thinking is somewhat similar to mine, that of hitting right from the first ballNow, it is about when he gets the opportunity and how many matches he plays for India,” Sehwag said during a discussion at the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry’s annual session on Saturday.
Virender Sehwag said that age should not matter if a player is good enough to compete at the highest level.
“Look, if you are playing in an age-category, it makes sense — if it’s Under-19, your age should be under 19But once you play the IPL or play for India, age doesn’t matter.
“A 38-or 40-year-old (Virat) Kohli is playing, and a 15-year-old (Vaibhav) Sooryavanshi is also playingThen, performance matters,” Sehwag said.
The former Indian cricketer, who was part of the 2011 World Cup-winning team, also appreciated Shubman Gill for his second double century in ODI cricket.
The Indian skipper smashed 223 runs off just 133 deliveries against the West Indies in the second ODI, played in Guwahati on September 30.
“These days many players are performing really wellOne of them is Shubman Gill, who is playing so wellHe is also the captain of
India’s Test and ODI sidesHe broke Sunil Gavaskar’s record in England by scoring more than 700 runs, and recently, he scored his second double century in ODIsIt is not easy,” he said.
Shubman Gill enjoyed a memorable tour of England in 2025, scoring 754 runs in five TestsHe surpassed Sunil Gavaskar’s previous record of 732 runs, set against the West Indies during the 1978-79 season.
Sehwag also highlighted the importance of India’s bowling unit, saying that strong performances from the bowlers could boost the team’s chances of lifting the 2027 ODI World Cup in South Africa.
“Among our fast bowlers, we have Bumrah, who is the best we haveIf our bowling attack stays strong in the World Cup, then we can win it very easily,” he added.
